PhD Candidate for Sustainable ICT Assessment

Digital technologies are often exhibited as greener alternatives to physical delivery chains. However, while the ’cloud’ sounds immaterial, the need for hardware and energy is very real. You will investigate the environmental consequences of digitalisation and how these can be reduced by companies and consumers.

As a PhD candidate you will work on the development of an operational framework to assess the environmental footprint of information and communication technologies (ICT) from a producer and consumer perspective. The research will quantify the ICT sector’s environmental footprint in both the Netherlands and Europe and the changes therein.

The environmental footprint caused by the use of ICT by individual companies and consumers will also be quantified. One of the possibilities is a hybrid approach between LCA analysis and Input Output modelling to include the impact of digital infrastructures on environmental impacts along the full supply chain. Subsequent economic modelling aims to evaluate the impact of policy interventions or other system changes that aim to reduce the environmental footprint of ICT services by companies and consumers.

• You hold an MSc in the natural or technical sciences with a clear affinity towards environmental topics.
• Experience in environmental modelling such as life cycle assessment or input-output modelling is required.
• Important selection criteria are: analytical modelling skills, team player attitude, strong motivation, and communication skills (especially a good command of written English).

• It concerns an employment for 0.8 (5 year contract) - 1.0 FTE (4 year contract).
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,770 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,539 from the fourth year onwards (salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract) or 3.5 years (5 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 29 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

• A letter of motivation.
• Your CV.